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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cap — a hat
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. board — to get on
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. sharp — clever
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. board — a committee
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cap — a lid

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com